Dizzy Gillespie - 20th and 30th Anniversary (1969/2016) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

November 7, 1968 went down as a special date in the history of the Berlin Jazz Days, which is full of highlights. On this memorable evening, Dizzy Gillespie visited the city on the Spree, which in itself was a cause for joy for every jazz fan, as the incomparable trumpeter was one of the few remaining constants in modern jazz at the time.

Moreover, he didn't bring just any orchestra - Gillespie's combo included outstanding soloists from all phases of his career: from the forties, for example, saxophonist Cecil Payne and trombonist Ted Kelly, his colleague Curtis Fuller from the fifties section, and as a young trumpeter promoted by the leader Jimmy Owens as a representative of the sixties, to highlight just a few of the creative minds in this top-class reunion big band.

Assembled by Gillespie's long time companion Gil Fuller, the squad needed only a few days of rehearsal to finally breathe like a body and celebrate triumphs throughout Europe. In six pieces they bear witness to that here: From the exuberant, almost animalistic energy of the opener Things To Come, to the swinging one bass hit infused with terrific bass work (Paul West), to the chromatic ostinati of the gangster-movie sounding Frisco penned by pianist Mike Longo. From the Latin-soaked Con Alma with a meditatively dancing Dizzy to the furiously arranged Things Are Here, a wild chase that culminates after many excellent solos in the drum fire of Candy Finch. Dizzy Gillespie expressed at the time that this was his best big band in 20 years. After listening to it, one absolutely has to agree with him

TRACKLIST

1. Dizzy Gillespie - Things to Come (Live)
2. Dizzy Gillespie - One Bass Hit (Live)
3. Dizzy Gillespie - Frisco (Live)
4. Dizzy Gillespie - Con Alma (Live)
5. Dizzy Gillespie - The Things Are Here (Live)
6. Dizzy Gillespie - Birk's Works (Live)



Thanks to the Original customer.